Hope you had a great long Easter weekend, guys! Mine was wonderful. Good company, good food, lots of much-needed rest, and finally…leather weather! I probably have to apologize in advance, because you’ll be seeing this jacket a lot over the next month or so. It’s the one piece of outerwear that I throw over pretty much anything to make the outfit feel like “me”. Like this Easter-perfect pastel dress from Ann Taylor – super cute on its own, but a lot edgier with a little leather thrown into the mix. So yeah…I may be having deja-jacket this spring…but I’ll make sure to keep the rest interesting.

Even I can’t believe that I finally wore a dress without tights! It’s a Christmas miracle, people!!! Just like that, we went from wet snow to 20+ degree weather…from winter to summer in a matter of days. Not one to waste a good opportunity, I decided to take my new H&M Conscious Exclusive dress out for a spin. With its breezy lightweight fabric, and dreamy blue print, this is the most perfect dress for lazy spring days – dressy enough for a romantic dinner with le bf, but casual enough for a neighbourhood gelato run. It’s definitely a current favourite!

The rest of H&M Conscious Exclusive collection is just as good! With stunning boho dresses, elegant jumpsuits, exquisite matador-inspired embroidered pieces, coolest shoes and jewellery, and so much more…this collection is now in stores and should not be missed. But beware, you may not be able to walk away without getting one of everything. Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

I am super excited to announce that I am now part of Ann Taylor‘s kick-ass team of brand ambassadors in Canada! As someone who has a day job at a fairly conservative office, I am really excited to amp up my office looks and introduce more sophisticated pieces into my wardrobe. And while dressing for the job I want may mean leaving the leather pants at home, it certainly doesn’t mean that I have to look boring. Take this striped and sequined jacket, for example…apart from the sequins, this is a very classic piece – shape and pattern are both very neutral, but the sequins take it from simple to glam. Same with these black pants with lace trim, and blouse with an embellished collar – classic and sophisticated, but far from boring.

This is what I love about Ann Taylor – their collections are full of staple pieces, but there are also a ton of stand-out items that work seamlessly with all of the simpler ones. Needless to say, I am really excited to show you what else Ann Taylor has in store! Stay tuned!

This past weekend in Canada was all about giving thanks, spending time with friends and family, and of course…indulging in a lot of turkey. I have so many things to be thankful for this year – my supportive hubby (or le bf as he’s known on this site), my loving family, our new cozy house, this blog and its readers, and so many other things that make me feel incredibly lucky. But truth be told, these days I feel like I am constantly racing against the clock. Every day I find myself juggling more and more responsibilities, taking on new challenges, finding ways to improve things…with no time to slow down and enjoy the great moments that occur. And while I love the crazy pace of my life, sometimes it’s nice to have a lazy weekend of doing nothing except eating pie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and watching bad movies on the couch (Pacific Rim was terrible, but Charlie Hunnam was not!) – 2 more things I can be thankful for this week.

For our second Canon Blogtography session, my fellow ambassadors and I were treated to a hands-on tutorial from the Toronto Star photojournalist Steve Russell, who photographed Michael Fassbender at TIFF last year, which made me respect him that much more (only half kidding) and prompted me to ask beg to be his assistant during next year’s TIFF. Fingers crossed, you guys!

Steve walked with us through the Distillery District, letting us run around and shoot things on our own, but guiding us along the way, and helping us try new things. Normally, I am all about the symmetry in my photos, and while there’s nothing wrong with shooting this way, as a result we’ve been missing out on a variety of angles and more interesting shots.

During our session, we learned about the Rule of Thirds, learned to hold the camera properly when shooting (with one palm under the body of the camera for steadier shots), and a few other tricks. And the funny thing is…our photos ended up being way more creative than usual. All it took was letting go of our photo habits and trying something new. One step at a time, but I just know that with some hard work and a little creativity, le bf and I will get better at this photography thing…

What do you think of these photos we shot at the Distillery District? Do you prefer traditional outfit shots, or creative ones? Share in the comments!

I have nothing. I’ve been sitting here, staring at the screen, and the words just won’t come. So I’ll make this one short and sweet. You know that I love leatherweather…so this is just a variation of my usual – moto jacket, leather leggings, graphic tee – as “me” as it gets. Here’s hoping this beautiful weather decides to stick around and I’ll get to squeeze in many more days of this. Fingers crossed.

Funny thing happened on the subway the other day. As le bf and I were rocking and swaying, trying to keep our balance, an older woman looked up from her seat and asked me if I would like to sit down. Not understanding what her offer suggested, I looked at my husband, as he looked back at me in dismay…and then we both looked down at my belly. The dress…this dress…was billowy, sure, but did I actually looked pregnant enough to warrant a seat on a crowded subway car? Really?!?!? After the initial shock, I said “no, thank you” as graciously as possible, and proceeded to suck in my stomach for the rest of the ride.

So now the question is…do I stop wearing this dress? One friend suggested I burn it, but the truth is…I actually love it. Of course, I could belt it and solve my dilemma, but I actually prefer it loose and comfy. So I guess my options are now: a) wear it and suck in my stomach as much as I possibly can, or b) wear it and stick my stomach out to get a seat on the subway during rush hour. I haven’t decided which option I’m going to go with, but either way, this dress is just too perfect for hot sticky summer days for me to give it up. What do you think?

Have you ever been confused for someone who’s expecting? Share your stories in the comments!

Even though my Ann Taylor trip to New York was only a quick 13-hour jaunt, it reminded me how great that city feels in the summer. The streets are balmy and teaming with people, the non-stop action propelling the crowds, lines snaking around the corner from Shake Shack, excitement in the air.

After previewing the gorgeous Ann Taylor Holiday 2013 collection, the girls and I checked into our beautiful hotel, before stepping out into the rainy night to enjoy some delicious guac at Dos Caminos. Of course, I couldn’t end my trip without some dessert, so off to Shake Shack we went…and damn…THOSE SHAKES! Just thinking about one of those big boys makes me wish I could pay another quick visit to NYC.

So there you have it…13 hours in New York City, 1 fashion preview, 1 bowl of guac, 1 chocolate malt shake, and a pair of striped shorts is all it takes to make this girl a happy blogger. And speaking of Shake Shack. Can someone please open one in Toronto? Pretty please?

If you didn’t know already, The Room at The Bay is on major sale right now! Shoes, clothes, you name it – all 60-70% off! It’s during this semi-annual event I snagged this beautiful jacket from Mikhael Kale, and my new fave pair of shoes from 3.1 Phillip Lim. These shoes look like a mix of medieval knight’s shoes and gladiator sandals, and for some reason I just can’t get enough. And while this summer has been a crappy one so far, the silver lining is me wearing my beloved leather jackets in July. Blue leather and knight shoes is what my summer’s going to look like. Hope you’re ready for it.

I’ve had these boyfriend jeans for what seems like forever, and you know what? They are still in style! Le bf hates them with a passion…probably because they are so beaten up, and aren’t the most flattering jeans out there (in his opinion), but to me – they are perfect. I mean, what’s not to love? They are comfy, and go with pretty much anything and everything. This, my friends, is what I call a keeper.

What about you? Do you like boyfriend jeans? Would you ever wear them? Let me know in the comments.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…